Beyond tears: living after 12/14 on December 15, 2018The December 16 attack on the Army Public School (APS)in Peshawar was the worst terrorist act in Pakistan’s history that claimed the lives of more than 149 people, including 134 children, and a nearly equal number injured. Terrorism has claimed more than seventy thousands of innocent lives in Pakistan over the last several years, but the APS children’s massacre is the bloodiest in the nation’s … [Read more...] about Beyond tears: living after 12/14
Skills development for inclusive and sustainable growth on November 8, 2018Akin to democracy, free markets, freedom of the press and universal human rights, education is one of those subjects whose virtue is considered self-evident. In industrially advanced states, education has become an extension of the capitalist system. In other words, the purpose of education is to provide for the economic prosperity of a country. Similarly on a personal level today the purpose of … [Read more...] about Skills development for inclusive and sustainable growth
Self-appointed warders of religion on November 2, 2018Asia Bibi’s case gained national prominence because of brave, pluralist politician like Salman Taseer who served as the 26th Governor of Punjab from 2008 until his assassination in 2011. He was a successful businessman and a liberal politician, who remained a member of the Pakistan Peoples Party. He gave interviews saying that he had sought a presidential pardon for a Christian mother of five Asia … [Read more...] about Self-appointed warders of religion
Pakistan, Israel and the Muslim world on October 29, 2018The conflict between Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs has endured for more than a century. It centres on control of territory and, as common in such disputes, is characterized by conquest, destruction, and revenge, with all the animosity and sorrow that these actions bring. Because the land in question is terra sancta to three major religions, the conflict evokes powerful passions involving … [Read more...] about Pakistan, Israel and the Muslim world
21st century Peshawar getting out of control on October 26, 2018My city Peshawar is the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), a road and rail centre near the famed Khyber Pass, an important military and communications centre, the historical limit of the Grand Trunk Road of Indo-Pak, and the major depot for trade with Afghanistan. It is famous for local handicrafts, fruit farms, Industries that include food processing and the manufacture of steel, cigarettes, … [Read more...] about 21st century Peshawar getting out of control
Pakistan: the impacts of urbanisation on society on October 21, 2018Pakistan is one of the fastest urbanising countries in South Asia and the share of urban population has risen from 17 percent in 1951 to 37 percent in 2010, and to 39.7 percent in 2017 with annual rate of urban change at 2.77 percent. Projections show that in next 10 to 15 years half of the population will be living in urban areas. Population growth and net migration are the major forces behind … [Read more...] about Pakistan: the impacts of urbanisation on society
The art of diplomacy on October 16, 2018I still remember my professor Iqbal Tajik who during a lecture on diplomacy in the postgraduate class back in late 90s, compared it with nations' chess-board meant to play power gamesbased on calculations. His brilliant definition calling "diplomacy as the art of saying good doggie till you have time to pick up the stick" depicts conventional wisdom towards globalization, developing global … [Read more...] about The art of diplomacy
How will Pakistan match to its population boom? on October 12, 2018For years, Pakistan’s soaring population growth has been evident in increasingly crowded roads, malls, schools, hospitals, parks, and communities across the country. No one is serious to understand the reasons until now.6th Population and Housing Census of Pakistan says Pakistan has surged to a staggering 207.8 million, showing an increase of 75.4 million people in 19 years. The population was … [Read more...] about How will Pakistan match to its population boom?
And they are the game changers on October 2, 2018Pakistan is a developing country and most of its population lives in undesirable circumstances. A large number of people in our country do not have proper places to live, this miserable condition has given birth to a large number of beggars and dependence of people to survive on the charities. The economic conditions of an average individual are not encouraging. Poverty, hunger and unemployment … [Read more...] about And they are the game changers
Rest in peace begum Kulsoom Nawaz on September 14, 2018In her book ‘Jabar aur Jamhooriat’ published in 2007, former first lady of Pakistan Begum Kulsoom Nawaz exquisitely narrated the difference between democracy and dictatorship, shared the callous and violent behaviour of Generals who were responsible for the coupof 1999 in Pakistan, and spoke of the struggle to free of her husband. Her book is a testimony to what our security establishment and … [Read more...] about Rest in peace begum Kulsoom Nawaz
